How often do you see dogs carrying sticks they have found on a walk? Nine times out of ten there is no harm done and the dog and it's owner have fun out on a walk. Unfortunately the fun sometimes ends when you have to visit the vet for the treatment of a stick injury. We see a few cases every year and they are all usually challenging as there can be very little to see.Cooper the Springer Spaniel was a case to remember. A friend had been walking him for his owner and threw a stick for him. Cooper raced off and caught the stick as you do if you are dog and a human throws things for you. He then ran along with the stick in his mouth until it caught in the ground and penetrated somewhere in his mouth. Cooper was soon salivating and in some discomfort.
Sticks are particularly dangerous when the dog catches them in the air or gets to them as the hit the ground. If one of the ends goes straight into the mouth then it usually pokes a hole in the back of the throat. If the stick is thin enough it may penetrate deep into the tissue like a spear. If the stick remains whole when it's pulled out then there is some discomfort but the body heals. If the stick breaks however then we have a foreign body embedded deep in the tissue under a small hole that can close over. The simple act of carrying or chewing a stick can cause small splinters to become embedded in the soft tissue of the mouth and can lead to infection and discomfort.
The complications after a stick injury are not always obvious at the time. Cooper attended the surgery because of his discomfort and we examined him under anaesthetic. We found a small 2cm deep hole at the base of his tongue and inside that hole a few fragments of stick were found and removed. A course of antibiotics and painkillers and Cooper improved considerably, he started to eat and stopped drooling.
A couple of months later Cooper developed a large lump on the side of his neck about half way down. The swelling was hard and not very painful. Another anaesthetic was needed as we thought there might be a foreign body, abscess or a tumour present. Once Cooper was anaesthetised we took a small sample of cells from the lump using a needle. Looking at this under the microscope ruled out tumour and suggested infection or inflammation. X-rays and ultrasound of the area showed swelling but nothing else that would help solve the problem.
While the vet was squeezing the swelling pus was seen coming from Cooper's mouth under his tongue. On closer examination a small hole was found and a stick measuring 8cm in length was removed from it! The stick was embedded deep in the neck extending down towards the swelling and had been slowly migrating back up under the tongue. The swelling turned out to be pus that collected below the stick by gravity.
Cooper made a complete recovery and it was not until the stick had been removed that his owner realised just how much the problem had been affecting his behaviour. He told us that Coopers behaviour had improved that much that "he had his dog back again". He had not realised just how depressed Cooper had been for the past month.
It is natural for dogs to want to carry things, catch and fetch. If your dog likes these games then consider buying an appropriate toy. At the end of the day they are so much safer. We have a selection of safe throw toys at the surgery and recommend Wubba's and Kongs on a rope.
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